10.30am: Morning. It's day three of four between Essex and Somerset at Colchester, with the visitors in control after Marcus Trescothick's astonishing innings yesterday: an unbeaten 228 off 230 balls in a total of 367-8. Essex are 38-1 in their second innings, chasing 432 to win. Rob Smyth is at Castle Park to keep you updated through the day, while Andy Bull and Barney Ronay are at the OBO helm for day three of England v Pakistan at The Oval.

11.03am: Morning from a beautifully sunny Colchester, writes Rob Smyth, where Somerset should return to second in Division One at some stage today. They need nine wickets; Essex, as outlined below, require a further 394 runs.

11.29am: Now the real business can begin. The nightwatchman Tony Palladino has gone for 16, flicking Ben Phillips straight to Jos Butler, and here comes Ravi Bopara, writes Rob Smyth.

11.52am: Apologies for the lack of whimsy so far this morning. Whimsy flounced out of the office last night in preparation for a sponsor's day at the Oval today, complete with "luxury hamper" and has just texted to reveal he is currently availing himself of the contents which comprise, among other things, a croissant, granola and a selection of fine wines. That should keep whimsy going until lunchtime but, admittedly, has left the county blog relying on the missives from Castle Park.

Elsewhere in the county championship, a wicket apiece has fallen at Canterbury and Horsham this morning. Derbyshire continue to struggle against Sussex and are now 69-3 after losing Wayne Madsen for 23, while Lancs are 132-4, Steven Croft the man out this morning.

12.12pm: There is no granola here and very little whimsy, writes Rob Smyth, but Somerset have just taken the vital wicket of Ravi Bopara for 15. Having driven the previous ball from Peter Trego handsomely through mid-off for four, he was bowled by a ball that jagged back sharply. It completes an unhappy match for Bopara, who made 1 in the first innings in front of the national selector, Geoff Miller. He's not going on the Ashes tour, is he? Essex are 94 for three, still 338 short of victory.

1.09pm: It's lunch at Castle Park, and Essex are in a deep, deep hole, writes Rob Smyth. They are 127 for five, chasing a nominal 432 for victory, having lost four wickets this morning. Palladino fell early, and then Bopara (15) and Billy Godleman (53) went during an outstanding spell from Trego, who also had Mark Pettini dropped in the slips. To complete a fine morning for Somerset, Murali Kartik had Matt Walker caught at leg slip for 13 with the last delivery before lunch.

1.53pm: Peter Trego has struck again in the second over after lunch to reduce Essex to 127 for six, writes Rob Smyth. Mark Pettini, who was dropped on four off the bowling on Trego just before lunch, had reached six when he chipped a simple return catch, prompting Trego to hare off on a mini lap of honour. He has three for 26 from nine vigorous overs; those figures do not flatter him one bit.

2.42pm: The Essex captain James Foster has gone, caught down the leg side off Zander de Bruyn after a forgettable innings of 10 from 47 balls, and Somerset are into the tail, writes Rob Smyth. Essex are now 175 for seven, with just another 257 needed for victory.

3.37pm: It's all over at Castle Park, where Somerset have trounced Essex by 219 runs to move back into second place in Division One, writes Rob Smyth. Ryan ten Doeschate offered some resistance with a feisty 41, but the last three wickets fell in a hurry – all to Zander de Bruyn, who ended with figures of four for 23. The last two wickets fell in consecutive deliveries: ten Doeschate lost his off stump and Danish Kaneria flapped a pull to long leg.

3.41pm: It may be all over for Rob Smyth's Big Day Out but that doesn't mean there's any need to stop whiling away the rest of Friday afternoon here. Elsewhere on the blog, our writers have been picking their favourite childhood football memories. This particular faceless drone ( TLutz™) wasn't allowed to go to Grace Road, instead coerced into doing the scoring (no box, barely a blanket) for my Dad's cricket team (North Leicestershire League) in return for a bit of stawberry swiss roll and an egg sandwich. But surely there have to be some bloggers out there who can out-anecdote the football boys from the county circuit?

7.08pm: And so to the close of play, slightly later at Canterbury than everywhere else. Kent need 255 more runs to win, with eight wickets left. Lancashire were dismissed second time around for 321, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul making 120 and Sajid Mahmood 41. The hosts closed on 84-2.In Division Two, Monty Panesar took 4-67 as Derbyshire were dismissed for 225, condemning them to an innings and 109-run defeat that returned Sussex to the top of the table.